Critical care manual of clinical procedures and competencies

This book is meant for a wide range of clinicians and other healthcare providers who are involved in the care of critically ill patients. Over the past two decades, critical care has evolved from the typical textbook knowledge-based practice into a more evidence and competency-based practice. This book sums up available evidence and various competencies required at different levels to optimum outcome of patents in critical care medicine.

The first couple of chapters elucidate the concept of evidence based patient-centered practice in the field of critical care. On one hand, it emphasises the fundamental patients’ rights like pain management, proper communication, dignity and safety in fundamental competency statement and on the other, the book provides a framework for procedure - related competency statement for each procedure in individual chapters.

The next couple of chapters describe the timely recognition and management of a deteriorating patient in ward and admission criteria to an intensive care unit. Management of a sick patient at various levels of care (level 0 to 3) has been separately described. The subsequent chapters deal with clinical assessment and management of specific organ systems like cardiovascular system, respiratory system, neurological system and management of various aspects of general critical care like nutrition, sedation, analgesia and renal replacement therapy.

It is interesting to find chapters with special emphasis on usually neglected issues in common critical care textbooks like mouth and eye hygiene, physical mobility and exercise interventions, sleep promotion and transfer of critically ill patients. The chapters on rehabilitation from critical illness, withdrawal of care and various aspects of end of life care will help a critical care physician in proper decision making.

Overall, the text is well targeted and to the point to address any issue without undue elaboration. The crisp language makes it an interesting read. Tabular representation of important points and inclusion of appropriate guidelines make it easy for the readers to comprehend and memorise.

However, this book is mainly targeted towards the critical care practitioners to help them deliver a patient-centered care and may not be well suited for students and beginners of critical care medicine. Moreover, it deals with the principles of general critical care and the specific aspects of specialized systemic care seem to be beyond the scope of this book.